The Ayrshire divisional commander said drug crime was a priority for him coming into the post earlier this year.

A police report said: “Concerns about drugs and drug dealing continues to be a concern for local communities in North Ayrshire and remains a priority for local policing. To date, there has been an marked increase in detections for both supply and possession of drugs.”

It added: “Following last year’s reduction in drug supply detections, additional resource has been deployed to tackle this Ayrshire-wide priority. This is having a positive effect with a sizeable increase in both supply and possession detections.”

The figures were presented to the North Ayrshire Police and Fire and Rescue Committee this week.

Between April and July this year the number of crimes shot up by four per cent to 4,304.

Sexual crime offences numbered 144 – up by 12 per cent during those months.

Sex offenders did not have any physical contact with victims in 54 cases.

Indecent communications online and on mobile phones have contributed to the increase, the meeting heard.

Housebreaking cases fell to 96 – down by nearly 24 per cent.

There were 366 domestic abuse offences – showing a decrease of nearly five per cent.

Police also recorded 571 violent crimes in the area – which is a rise of two per cent.

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